Destiny
by LadyLinus
Summary: Is it possible to change your destiny? Or do things just sort themselves out in a different way. What happens when Ash doesn't throw a rock at the Spearow? AU AAML. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I started to write this fic about a year ago but didn't particularly like the way that it was going, so I regrouped and started it over. This idea actually fascinates me, the thought that one single action, no matter how small, can change your life. In this case, Ash **did not** throw the rock at the Spearow causing them to chase him, jump off the cliff and meet Misty. It took a long time for me to work out what would and wouldn't be changed by Misty's absence in the group. Obviously, Ash would grow up a little differently without her influence, but I did decide that her being gone wouldn't affect whether or not Brock joined Ash after he battled him. And Misty wouldn't affect his win in Pewter City.

Because of whatever I felt seemed the most plausible, the characters may be different than they are in the anime. I am trying my hardest to keep them the same deep down, Misty still easily provoked and Ash is still clueless with a hero complex. But other aspects may be slightly skewed. Please don't review or send me a message about how ooc they are. Cuz I know, that's the point. However if you do want to send me an alternate view or discuss their new personalities, feel free.

Chapter 1

The world is a big place for a small boy. There isn't anyone to clean up your messes, no one to hold accountable but yourself.

This boy, was alone. He had his first pokemon but the yellow mouse wouldn't listen to him. Ash figured that when people wrote about his rise to fame, at least this will be an amusing beginning. Now though, he found it irritating.

"Can't you just listen to me for a little bit?" he called up to the trees, he couldn't see Pikachu but he knew it was up there.

"Pi." was the faint response he heard. Probably a no.

Ash pouted slightly, "Stupid sleepwalking. Stupid breakable alarm clock. Stupid Mom for not waking me up." still set in his childish ways, nothing was his fault.

Then, in the distance was a silhouette of a bird.

"A pokemon!" he exclaimed reaching for the ball on his belt, feeling the tingle of excitement the first time causes. Then he remembered, "oh yeah…I guess I'll have to do this on my own." Ash looked around, finding a small stone and picking it up.

This is a cheap way to win. He told himself, but I promise, whatever god is up there, if you let me catch this one, I'll be much, much better from now on.

Rolling the rock between his fingers, he thought about his options.

"If I throw this rock…I'll catch my first pokemon by myself and I won't need Pikachu. But if I don't…" Ash was torn, his first moral decision, could he really call himself a trainer if he resorted to cheap shots?

No, he couldn't. So he tossed the rock to the ground and sighed.

"Come on Pikachu," he sang before walking through the field. Surprisingly, he head the tiny footsteps behind him as he walked.

It was a nice enough day, the sun was high and there were no clouds as far as the eye could see. He had never been this far away from his home before and was surprised by how calming it was to just enjoy nature. The was a long expanse of knee high grass in every direction and to his right a small river leading to a waterfall. He took a mental picture as he stared down to the water below, this would be a good spot to go swimming in the summer.

****

Misty was lying lazily in the cool grass alongside a river dividing Pallet Town with Route 1. What did she say to her sisters before she left?

"That's right," she murmured aloud, "I won't come back until I'm a world renowned trainer!"

The words of a tempermental girl, but she didn't mean them…not entirely. She loved her sisters as much as any preteen. They were her surrogate parents, she had so few memories of their mother and father. But she was the smallest, the runt, and it was hard to be the youngest.

There was an ache in her heart to go out on her own and be just Misty, not the youngest sensational sister, not Brandon and Katherine's daughter, not gym leader, but just her. She had never been alone though, and wasn't sure that she could last.

Glancing up at the clear sky that was beginning to darken, the redhead stood and gathered her belongings before packing up and peddling off toward her home.

*****13 years later*****

Daisy twirled a finger through her golden hair, a childhood habit that never really died out.

"Are you sure you're okay with going?" she asked for the third time that day.

Misty turned away from her suitcase to giver her older sister a grin, "Don't worry, I love going. I've gone every time since I was 17."

"I know but," she trailed off as Misty pulled her hand away from her hair, "I just feel like we're shoving you out of the gym."

"You can't shove someone who wants to go," she laughed but became serious again at Daisy's expression, "I like going. I have friends at other gyms and it's nice to have a vacation. I don't mind at all."

The eldest Williams sister smiled in relief, "Good, you know I worry about you."

"I know," Misty smiled going back to packing the items on her bed.

"So…did you tell Seth that you were going?" Daisy asked reaching over to help Misty fold.

"No…I didn't…" she said it cheerfully enough but the blonde noticed her sister's tension.

"Why not?"

"Because it doesn't matter, we…aren't together anymore."

"Oh!" she pulled Misty into a tight hug, "I'm so sorry, why didn't you say something?"

"For this reason," she sighed allowing herself to be hugged.

"Was it bad?"

"Is there a good way to break up?"

"I guess that's a good point…was it his idea or yours?"

"His."

"Why?"

Misty hesitated, talking about the breakup was still painful, "He told me that we were too comfortable and 23 isn't an age to be settled down. He wanted to experience other people."

"What an ass!" Daisy exclaimed, "I can't believe he said that. You guys have been together since you were 15! You deserve a better reason than that."

"Maybe he's right…" Misty said softly avoiding Daisy's gaze.

"Excuse me?"

"You said so yourself, we had been together for so long. I mean, I've only been in one serious relationship, I've only been with one man…I'm only 23, maybe he's right about us experiencing new people."

"Misty…that's not you, I mean, you don't flirt like we do. You're a monogamous girl and I love you for that. Don't change who you are because of one guy."

Misty rolled her eyes a little, after her tween years, she and her sisters had gotten along much better and Misty could even say that she and Daisy were close. But sometimes they made her feel like she was still a little girl when she wasn't.

"How do I know that I can't do that stuff? I've never given myself the chance," she resumed packing the last of her clothes and struggled with the zipper, "So, I'll go on the cruise, represent the gym…and maybe have a little fun being a different Misty."

"A different Misty? But I love this Misty," Daisy teased, realizing that she wasn't going to change her sister's mind.

"Well, maybe not completely different…but it might be fun to try something new." she winked pulling her suitcase off of the bed and wheeling it to join the rest of the matching set.

****

Ash Ketchum, Division One Champion. Fresh off of his victory in the Sinnoh region, it still felt weird to say. He wasn't completely used to the fame yet, the constant spattering of paparazzi and seeing his face on magazines. When Ash was starting out, there were rumblings of regions combining their leagues to make the transition to master less messy. Prof Oak would always tell Ash and Gary that the distinction between Champion and Master loose and there were always people looking for a way to make the lines more clear. The Mastery Board reached a decision the year he turned 15. The regions to the west, Kanto, Johto, and Sinnoh were called Division One and regions to the east were Division Two. If a person competed, and won, the Championship in every region for their division, the were given the title of Division Champion, which Ash was now. But you couldn't compete in the opposite division without becoming a Champion of their home division, and whoever was the champion of both regions became a Master. It became a lot more difficult to earn that all too important title.

He spent the two months since his win bouncing around from house to house, hoping to outrun the attention. It was a miracle that he happened to stop by his home in time to RSVP for the Division One Cruise. In an effort to keep the regions that were once separate together, they had begun sending Champions, Masters, and Gym Leaders on a month long cruise, once every 2 years, to all 3 regions and through the islands. Ash was excited to finally be able to go. He hadn't had a proper vacation since he started training 13 years ago and he had never been on a cruise, the only downfall was that pokemon were prohibited to keep the cruise fun and not about battles. Many of his gym leader friends would be going as well. It would be like a month long party, just the break he deserved before heading off to compete in Division Two. It took 13 years to win all three championships and become a champion, he figured he could be a master by 40 if he kept this up.

He wandered around the deck of the ship as people continued to check in and board. It was a nice day in Vermillion City, warm but not hot with a slight breeze. June was probably the best month for a cruise. There was Erica from the Celadon Gym, May from Petalburg, Candice from Snowpoint, and finally he saw the dark brown hair of his best friend.

"Brock!" Ash exclaimed, jogging over to the ramp he walked up on.

"Hey, Ash, I was hoping you'd come," Brock laughed, "I haven't seen you since you went home."

"Yeah," Ash scratched the back of his neck, "I went to help Mom out and pick up some clothes and I found the invitation. I almost didn't make it in time, but I'm glad I did."

"It's fun," Brock insisted, "I come whenever I'm not traveling with you. Besides you'll pretty much know everyone here."

"Yeah, I've defeated them all!"

"Don't be cocky." Brock shook his head.

"Brock! I was worried one of your siblings would get to the ticket before you again!" A voice cried out behind Ash.

Brock's eyes lit up as he glanced at the comment's owner, "I think I've timed when to be home so I can always go, at least until I get bored. Your sisters didn't want to come again?"

"Nope, they all have boytoys and what if they find someone else while the girls are forced to hang out with Gym Leaders?" she laughed and joined the two men.

"Misty, I don't know if you've met Ash Ketchum, he just became a Division One Champion, and Ash, This is Misty Williams, one of the Cerulean City Gym Leaders," Brock introduced the two standing next to each other.

And for the first time, Ash turned to look at the new member of their conversation. She was a pretty redhead, probably only a couple inches shorter than he was with blue-green eyes.

"Cerulean City?" he asked smiling, "I certainly don't remember you."


	2. Chapter 2

Misty extended a long, slightly tan leg onto the poolside chaise. She had to admit that Ash was cute, glossy dark hair and chocolate eyes. And Misty loved chocolate. He was cocky and made off color jokes, he was the exact opposite of blonde haired, ice blue eyed, quiet and bookish Seth. Maybe Ash was just what she needed, the change that she was looking for.

"So, I couldn't help but notice that you don't really look like your sisters," Ash commented sitting in the seat next to her.

"Oh, yeah," she flushed slightly, "I look like my maternal grandmother. My sisters all look like our father. Actually, I'll let you in on a secret, My sisters all have brown hair."

"What?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, my mother was blonde, and my father had this mousey brown color, my sisters were all born with that. After they died, we were sent to live with our grandmother. She told them that they were ugly because of their hair color. It was wrong, but it hit them hard and as soon as Daisy turned 16 and inherited the gym she moved us all back home and they dyed their hair. As far as everyone knows, it's natural, there aren't many pictures of them younger and…I don't know why I'm telling you this…" she trailed off her blush getting deeper.

"I have a trusting face, but don't worry, I won't run to the media with this juicy information," Ash grinned reaching out to touch a lock of her hair, "Does this mean that you're not a natural redhead?"

She felt a jolt go down her body when he touched her, "Oh you're good at that."

"Good at what?" he asked.

"Flirting. My sisters are pros but I've never been that great."

"I'm flirting?" Ash joked while Misty laughed, "Ok, I was. But it's an easy thing to teach."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, I learned from watching Brock,"

She laughed loudly, "And he's funny too. How does your girlfriend feel about you being gone for a month?"

Ash shook his head, "No girlfriend, but my mom is pretty upset."

"Mama's boy?" Misty asked.

"Total Mama's boy," he nodded.

Brock watched his two friends talking from the other side of the pool. Misty was pretty, not model beautiful but a very unique pretty. He knew that Ash would at least notice her but last he checked Misty had a serious boyfriend.

He walked over to them hoping to end their too close discussion.

"Hey guys, what did I miss?" he asked.

"Nothing." Both said at the same time.

Brock couldn't help but feel like he was being left out of something.

****

The breeze was cool as Misty sat on the patio staring out over the expanse of ocean. She had always felt connected to the sea, sure her family's gym dealt with water type but it was really her father that made it special.

She was only 7 when her parents were taken away from her, so the memories were slowly fading away. One that stuck with her was from when she was 4 and her father woke her up in the middle of the night to take her to Vermillion City to play at the beach.

Misty could remember the smell of the ocean air, she could remember the feel of the cold sand between her toes and she could remember just feeling loved. With three older sisters, it was hard to have your own relationship with your parents, especially when you're little. But that night, she felt like an only child, it was just her and her dad.

Listening to the water crash against the side of the ship brought those feelings back now.

"Hey, what's up?" Ash's voice brought her out of her trance as he sat down next to her.

Her face flushed, but she wasn't sure why, "Nothing, just thinking."

"Oh…what about?" he asked.

Misty opened her mouth to talk to him then stopped, she's already told enough about her family to this total stranger, "I was just thinking….about nothing really."

He nodded slowly then shook his head, "I don't buy it. Brock said you had a boyfriend, why isn't he here?"

She froze, why did Brock have to open his big mouth?

"So it's true…"

"It's partially true…I did have a boyfriend until about a week ago. He broke up with me."

"I'm sorry," Ash mumbled, but his expression didn't look as sorry as he sounded.

"Me too. I told my sister that he wanted to see other people," she sighed.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "but that's not what happened?"

"It is, I just…I prettied it up for Daisy," Misty inhaled deeply, "It turns out that he's been seeing other people for the last year, and I was just a little too boring, I wasn't enough for him." she could feel the tears coming to her eyes but she shut them and looked down, "We were together for 8 years. I gave my everything to him and he just cast me aside for girls who were more experienced! I would have done whatever he wanted if he had just asked. I didn't know that I was supposed to-" she stopped and looked up her face a crimson red.

Ash stared back at her, shocked by her confession but also trying not to laugh at her.

"Oh god!" she moaned burying her head in her hands, "I'm so pathetic."

"You're not pathetic," he finally gave in and chuckled a little.

She sat straight up and gave him a glare, "Are you laughing at my pain?"

"No! I'm not! I swear!" he held his hands up in protest but another giggle escaped his lips.

Misty shrieked in frustration and pushed herself away from the table before stomping off toward the stairwell.

He watched her go and sighed, pushing himself out of his chair and walking after her. He caught up to her waiting for the elevator, the doors opened and she stepped forward and he rushed to make it in before they closed again.

"Ash!" she exclaimed, surprised to see him.

"I've never had a girlfriend." he blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Misty asked confused.

"I've never had a girlfriend, I travel a lot and I didn't think it would be fair to have someone waiting at home for me."

"Thanks for sharing?" she narrowed her eyes not getting the point.

"Even though I've never been a boyfriend, I know that you shouldn't treat a girl like that."

"Everyone knows that, I don't see what you're trying to say."

"I was laughing because you've put so much feeling into a guy that didn't deserve your attention in the first place. I wasn't laughing at you, I was laughing because it sucks that there are people like that in the world. I'm sorry," he shot her a smile.

Misty looked down hiding the blush forming on her cheeks, why did she become a teenager with a crush around this guy?

"Friends again?" he joked holding out his hand to shake.

She laughed, "Friends." at that moment the elevator doors opened and both stepped out.

"You headed to dinner?" Ash asked as they wandered down the hallway.

"Yeah, I just wanted to change first," she nodded stopping at her room and realizing that Ash stopped too, "I don't need company…"

"Can I tell you what I think?" he asked ignoring her statement and walking into her open door.

"Why not?"

"I think you should just hang out, don't be so serious. I mean…8 years is a long time to be with one person, maybe it's time to shake it up a little."

"And be more like…you?" she asked smirking.

Ash walked around the room, taking in every inch. He was surprised that it wasn't identical to his room. It was a little bigger, with an ornate armoire against one wall and a dressing table on the opposite side with a large bed in the middle.

"So you really never cheated on him? Not even once?" he asked as she turned her back to him and began rifling through her clothes.

Misty shook her head intriguing Ash further.

"Never even tempted? You were an eternally faithful girlfriend?"

"Yep, eternally faithful. I never even thought about it, never in a dream. Or on a boat. Or in a box. Not even with a fox." They both giggled as she pulled her shirt over her head, still facing away from him.

Ash wasn't sure what made him stand up and walk over to her, but he was pretty certain he knew what compelled him to put his hands on her waist. The body part was very clear in what it wanted, and since he was male, that part usually got it's way.

What he didn't expect was Misty turning around in his arms and kissing him.

She didn't know what she was doing either. She knew that Ash was good looking. She knew that she was still hurting from her breakup. More than that, she knew that right now he was all she wanted, and Misty had never felt that way before.


	3. Chapter 3

Misty glanced around the room, the light was still on, illuminating everything. She turned her head to the side and exhaled.

Truth be told, Ash was cuter in his sleep. His dark hair hung loosely in his eyes and his lips curled into a slight smile. Cuteness aside, she didn't want a relationship, maybe jumping into bed with the first attractive guy since Seth was a bad idea.

"Ash?" she asked, her voice just a decibel above a whisper. His face scrunched up a bit and he rolled onto his back before falling back to sleep.

"Ash," she tried again, louder this time and shaking his arm.

"What?" he asked back, still half asleep.

"I don't have feelings for you," she started, shutting her eyes when she realized how stupid she sounded.

"What?" Ash propped himself up on his elbow to look at her in confusion.

"I mean, you know I just got out of a relationship and while I talk big, this really wasn't my intention…" Misty trailed off when Ash started laughing.

"I know," he assured her, "remember, I said I don't have girlfriends."

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Good," but she glanced over at him, he really was good looking and they were both here, both already undressed. As if thinking the same thing, Ash leaned forward and kissed her hard on the lips while pulling his body closer to hers, "Uh uh," she smiled wagging her finger at him, "No kissing."

"Look at you, first time and you're already making up rules," he laughed moving his body over hers. As Misty reached her hand between them to stroke him, she had to wonder how she expected any foreplay if Ash wasn't allowed to kiss. Luckily, he seemed to know what he was doing.

His mouth moved down over her breast, sucking and biting gently instead of kissing. Sensations that she wasn't used to overcame her body as she let go of him and allowed Ash to take control. His expert fingers slid inside of her and she moaned slightly, arching her hips against his hand. This went on for almost ten minutes, sucking and rubbing while Misty writhed underneath him.

Finally, Ash looked up at her, his eyes dark with desire, "What do you want me to do?" he asked softly.

She was at a loss for words, "I don't know, anything, everything," she moaned moving her legs and pulling him against her. Her head burrowed into the pillow as they came together for the second time that night. His thrusts were quicker this time as he moved to his knees for better access.

Misty didn't know how he was able to last as long as he did, her climax came almost immediately but he continued to push into her, only slowing down once or twice to push back his own. Finally he pulled out and she assumed he was done, only to have him lie on his back and move her on top of him, guiding her up and down almost as swiftly as he had been moving before.

"Have you ever been on top?" he asked her as his fingers dug into her sides.

"Once," she managed to gasp while she moved her hands over his own.

"Like it?"

Misty didn't answer, instead setting herself to the task she had been given, after a few seconds, Ash sat up putting his hands against her back to keep her from falling.

Their faces barely half an inch away from each other, she continued to move on top of him, "If you don't tell me what you like, how do you ever expect to have fun?" he asked, with his voice barely audible.

At this point, Misty broke her own rule, leaning forward to kiss him, "I'm having plenty of fun," she whispered as she broke away.

Ash held her hips in place ceasing all movement, "Misty, if I teach you one thing, it's that one night stands are supposed to be selfish. I'm not your boyfriend, if you want something say it, if you don't like it, tell me."

She nodded pulling at his hands, trying to make herself free.

"Misty, tell me what you want me to do," he asserted.

Her eyes narrowed as she announced, a little too loudly, "I want you to fuck me."

Ash laughed and pushed her backwards so that he was once again on top of her with their heads at the foot of the bed, "Was that really so hard?"

***

When she awoke the next morning, Ash was still sleeping soundly beside her. Misty didn't know what she expected, maybe that the whole thing was a really graphic dream.

She got out of bed carefully and made her way to the bathroom to shower. As she turned towards the counter she made eye contact with her reflection, and smiled a little. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were covered in mascara that rubbed off while she slept. Normally, Misty was always careful to brush her hair and wash her face before bed. Even when she stayed at Seth's place. Maybe this was the start of a new Misty, like she had told her sister it would be.

Misty supposed that she had Ash to thank for that. If he hadn't followed her back here last night probably wouldn't have happened.

She turned the water on, surprised at how quiet the shower was, and slid into it. As she ran the shampoo through her hair, Misty found herself slipping into a trance.

While she did enjoy the Misty she saw in the mirror a few minutes ago, she wasn't completely sure how to _be_ that Misty. Was she supposed to sleep with everyone? Maybe live Ash's way of life and never be in a relationship?

As she stepped out of the shower she made a face at her reflection in the steam covered mirror, maybe she didn't want to change that much.

Misty wrapped a towel around her and walked back out into the main room, sadly, she noted that the bed was completely made and Ash was nowhere in sight. She didn't know why she was sad, had she wanted to wake him up awkwardly? Tell him that last night was fun, but it was time for him to go? Her stomach rumbled in response and she recalled that they had never made it to dinner last night. Did anyone notice?

Brock noticed.

He had waited patiently for his two friends to join him at the dinner table, only to become dismayed and concerned when they hadn't. Brock didn't need to wonder what had kept them from the meal, nor did he want to dwell on that fact for too long.

He clenched his hands into fists as he paced next to the railing.

"Dammit!" Brock exclaimed as he leaned over the edge and stared down into the dark blue water beneath the ship.

"You okay?" he heard a voice next to him ask and it didn't take Brock more than a second to realize who it belonged to.

"No, I'm not okay. What did you do?"

Ash raised an eyebrow at his friend, "I'm gonna need a little more detail…"

"You and Misty! I told you she had a boyfriend, but you couldn't leave her alone! How the hell am I supposed to apologize to her, it's my fault she knows you!" Brock raged.

"Brock, you don't have to apologize," Ash rolled his eyes putting a hand on his friend's back, "It's not like I jumped her in a dark hallway."

Brock shrugged him off, "Seriously, there are at least 75 girls on this damn boat and you had to choose Misty? Misty!?"

"Calm down, why is it such a big deal?"

"Because…because she has a boyfriend."

"No she doesn't."

"Of course she does, they've been together almost as long as I've known her," Brock shook his head.

"No, she doesn't. He dumped her a week or so before the trip. Any other reasons?"

"He didn't dump her," Brock yelled, "he couldn't have dumped her."

"Why is it so hard to believe? Stupid guys dump good girls all the time, otherwise most country music wouldn't exist," Ash crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes, "Furthermore, why does it matter? She's an adult, she's in charge of her life, not me and not you. Maybe she was lying about her boyfriend, although it looked pretty real. Even if she is, it's not my business and certainly not yours."

Brock glared back at Ash. Something about his childhood friend had been irritating him lately. When they were younger, Ash had teased him and rolled his eyes and Brock's burgeoning womanizing ways. Now though, the Champion had not only adopted the same techniques, but he appeared to be a better Brock than Brock himself was.

"Well, I'll leave you here to your thoughts and get some breakfast," Ash stated, giving Brock an odd look, "Unless there's some rule against that as well."

Brock waved him away with a scowl and turned back toward the railing.

"How long were you here?" he asked without turning to his side.

"Long enough," Misty walked up so that she was standing next to him. Neither one of them said anything for a long time, but she finally spoke up again, "You don't have to worry about me."

"Yes, I do."

"_No you don't. Brock, I'm 23, I've been an adult for a long time. But everyone around me treats me like I'm a baby. I'm not a baby!" She yelled, "Seth really did break up with me, and it was devastating."_

"_I believe you…I just worry about you, especially with Ash," Brock sighed._

"_Isn't he supposed to be your best friend?"_

"_Yes, I've seen him with girls. I know that sometimes it's hard to distinguish what's real and what's a line with him. I don't want to see you get hurt by him. He's a good guy and I know he doesn't do anything intentionally, but it happens. And I care about you."_

_Misty smiled at him, "Aw, thanks Brock, but I'll be fine, I promise. If it makes you feel better, I won't do anything but talk to Ash."_

"_That does make me feel better," he laughed then extended his arm to her, "Hungry?"_

"_Starving," Misty giggled placing her hand in his and walking toward the dining room with him._


	4. Chapter 4

Usually, when Misty has a decision to make she's impulsive. It was how she ended up in bed with Ash the night before, and every time she tried to run away when she was younger.

Now though, she had to decide who she wanted to be and this wasn't something she could do without thinking it through. She had to admit that she did enjoy being spontaneous most of the time, but when Ash had told her that he had never had a girlfriend she felt sorry for him, she didn't think anyone should never experience being in a serious relationship. On the one hand, maybe all the males in her life were right and she needed to just live and not worry about taking everything so seriously. She didn't want to be Ash, and she certainly didn't want to be like her sisters, but she didn't want to be the same old Misty either. Speaking of Ash, she hadn't seen him at all since breakfast and even then they didn't sit together after her talk with Brock.

Misty understood why Brock was concerned, they met when she was 13. He had just arrived home from another region with Ash and decided to go see one of the Sensational Sisters' water shows. Of course, Brock being Brock, he had to come back and meet the sisters. The elder three accepted the flowers with the same enthusiasm a diva regards her fans but Misty found herself in a long conversation with Brock. They went to lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon just talking. It was unusual to have someone male actually want to talk to her, and not ask for an in with her gorgeous sisters. They stayed in contact after that, developing a sibling-like relationship with the other, the same relationship it seemed he had with Ash. But she had been with Seth for the majority of the time Brock knew her, she could see how it was difficult to see her suddenly as an adult and not pursuing a long term relationship with his other best friend. The same way an older brother will reject his sister's first boyfriend because it's a sign of her growing up.

She rested her arms against the cool railing and leaned further over the sparkling water. Misty was the youngest of four sisters, everything she had was either a hand-me-down or something she had to work for. She hadn't missed the jealous stares of some of the other women on the cruise. Ash Ketchum was a hot commodity, and Misty, hot tempered, boyish, redheaded Misty, was the one that caught his attention. That in itself was enough to want to keep going.

Misty felt another presence walk up next to her but didn't turn right away.

"Why do I keep finding you here?" Ash asked quietly, "And you always have that thoughtful expression."

"I like the ocean," she answered without looking at him.

"That's obvious," he snorted.

"Why are you here?" Misty sighed finally turning to her side.

"I wanted to apologize for last night," Ash's expression turned serious, "You're a good girl, a nice girl, and I need to learn when to keep it in my pants…so to speak."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, I was there too and I'm not helpless. I didn't do anything with you that I didn't want to do," she turned away from the railing, leaning her back against it. "I just think that we should just be friends…or nothing at all."

"Wanna go play shuffleboard?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"It's friendly right? Shuffleboard, I've never played it," he shrugged.

"Um…okay…" Misty laughed following him to the other end of the ship.

Three hours later, they were still playing but had given up on learning the rules to shuffleboard opting instead to invent their own game.

"Alright, that's 10. You have to spin around 3 times," Ash laughed pointing at Misty with his cue.

She groaned in annoyance but did as she was told, "Why does it seem like I'm playing the entire game dizzy?"

"Because you are, suck less at shuffleboard and you won't have this issue," he teased.

Misty collapsed to her knees and shut her eyes until she felt her head stop spinning, "I'm tired of this game, we've been playing all day."

"Quitter," Ash chuckled dropping his cue next to the painted lines of the deck. He moved over so that he was sitting next to her, "Well, what do we do next?'

"I dunno, can't one of your other friends entertain you for awhile?"

He shook his head, "Uh-uh, they wouldn't put up with nearly as much," she sent him a glare, "Besides, I like hanging out with you."

Misty couldn't read the expression on his face but it was almost calculating then he shook his head slightly and was back to normal.

"You _interest _me," he amended.

Misty raised an eyebrow, "I interest you? How so?"

Ash shrugged, "Not sure, you just do. Maybe because I know everyone else."

They both sat quietly as they watched the sun set over the railing. Ash snuck one last glance at Misty. She always looked so thoughtful, the wheels in her head always turning. But he didn't understand his fascination with her either. She was pretty, of course, fun, obviously, but there was something else.

"Hey, Misty, there's no one else around," he pointed out.

"So?" she turned to look at him.

"So…there's no one here, and we had fun last night, didn't we?"

"Your seduction techniques are seriously lacking," she laughed.

He joined in her laughter, "But seriously, we're two grown adults. Are we really going to let Brock make our decisions for us?"

"Ash…" she sighed starting to shake her head.

"Come on," he laughed moving closer, "Brock says no so we're going to stay platonic for a month? I mean…if it was your decision, obviously that's different-" Misty interrupted him by kissing him roughly.

"Will you just shut up?" she breathed when they parted.

Ash shot her a look of disbelief but leaned down and kissed her again.

******

After two weeks, they stopped pretending that it wasn't going to happen. A summer fling, Misty had explained to Brock. Something she needed to get out of her system before going home and into the real world again.

They were becoming fast friends, Ash and Misty, they would spend all day together participating in random activities. A game of Marco Polo with a bunch of the children on the cruise, snorkeling when they docked on an island for the day. And every night they ended up back in Misty's room where they would stay until early morning when, without fail, Ash snuck out and back to his room. At least, he thought he was being sneaky.

Misty was usually awake and would lay there with her eyes shut as she listened to him getting dressed and quietly opening and shutting her door. Then she would lay there and wonder why he had to leave before finally getting up herself and showering.

"What's the plan for today?" Misty asked sipping her lemonade as everyone else began to file out of the dining room.

"I dunno, we're docked today right? What island are we on?" Ash glanced around, almost as if expecting a sign somewhere.

"We're on….Haven Island, oh!" Misty sat up excitedly, "I remember Haven Island! There's a dance! I wonder if we're here in time this year. It's an island tradition."

"A dance?" Ash wrinkled his nose, "that doesn't sound like fun."

"Oh! It is, there's island locals and fun music. It's a bit like a luau, I suppose. I had a great time last year."

"Well…" Ash paused for a second, he didn't want to go the dance. He hated dancing, mostly because it was one of the few things he wasn't good at. But the word yes was on the tip of his tongue, "y…you have fun tonight, I think I'll find something else to do."

He watched her body sag slightly and her eyes dull, but the smile never left her face, "Good, that means I won't be stuck entertaining you all night." She laughed pushing her chair away from the table and walking out of the dining room.

Misty wasn't sure why she was mad at him. They weren't joined at the hip and he didn't have to do everything she wanted to do. It was true what she told him, she could have more fun without having to entertain him all night.

Ash continued sitting in the dining room. He didn't know why part of him felt like telling her yes, he didn't want to go to some stupid dance. He wasn't 16, and this wasn't the prom. Still, he felt bad for turning her down.

He was still sitting there when Brock walked in, looking for his friend.

"I feel like I've barely seen you during this cruise," he laughed sitting down next to the younger man.

"Huh?" Ash looked up startled then went back to staring ahead, "oh…yeah."

"What's up?"

"Nothing," the ebony haired man shook the unhappy thoughts out of his head and flashed Brock a smile, "Nothing at all. Misty said there was some sort of dance on the island tonight?"

"Yeah, it's fun. Are you going?"

Ash laughed and stood up, "No, it's not my thing."

Brock watched him curiously as Ash left the dining room still shaking his head.

******

Misty couldn't remember the last time she had had this much fun. The moon was full and golden in the sky, the warm night complimented by the slight cool breeze. She danced with old friends she had met on the last cruise, and made some new ones. All in all, she wasn't thinking about the absence of Ash Ketchum a bit.

At least, she shouldn't be thinking about him.

But she was. They had spent the first half of this cruise by each other's side at all times, it was weird that he wasn't here now. She sat at one of the twenty or so round tables, catching her breath and re-hydrating, but with nothing to occupy her thoughts they traveled back to Ash.

Misty heard a few excited whispers and turned to look at the dance floor. Her jaw dropped open and she turned away quickly. Careful not to catch his eye at all, she stood back up and found a new dance partner.

Brock didn't miss Misty's reaction to Ash walking up to the festival area. Truthfully, he was shocked to see him too. Wasn't this 'not his thing'? For the last couple of days Brock's been noticing something weird about Ash. Whenever he caught him alone, which wasn't often, the younger man always seemed distracted by his thoughts. When he saw him with Misty, Ash was always smiling and laughing. Sometimes his expression would drop and he'd seem almost confused. The brown haired man was almost certain he knew what was going on with Ash, and the thought made him laugh, but he didn't know if Ash was aware of it at all.

At the moment, he was talking to a local girl and seemingly uninterested in the redhead on the other side of the dance floor. But to a trained eye, you could see that his gaze never left her. Misty was doing a better job of blatantly ignoring Ash. He watched her hug her partner as the song ended and then sauntering over to the bar to sit down. For someone who claimed to be so bad at flirting, she was doing a wonderful job. She leaned forward and touched the bartender's arm as they laughed.

"I can't believe he said that to you," Michael chuckled setting a large, fruity drink in front of Misty, "I hope you torched his stuff."

"I wanted to," Misty admitted, "but I'm trying out maturity for awhile."

"I hope you're taking a break before setting into something serious again."

"Don't worry, I am," Misty smiled as Brock walked up and sat next to her, holding up his empty bottle to Michael, the bartender.

He handed Brock a new beer and leaned towards the two of them, "Well, since a bartender is the best wingman, I feel that it's my obligation to let you know that there's a guy who's had his eye on you since he walked in."

Misty laughed but didn't turn around, "Oh yeah, I know. And his interest in me is purely sexual." Brock couldn't be sure, but he thought he caught a hint of sarcasm in her statement.

"So wouldn't that make him perfect? I mean, since you aren't looking for anything serious."

Brock turned his attention to Misty, awaiting her answer to that question as well.

Her cheeks turned a bit pink and she glanced over at Ash who looked away almost immediately, "I suppose he's ok, for now."

* * *

A/N: I tried to make this chapter a little longer than the previous ones had been. But I couldn't think of what to put without starting the next step, and that would make the subsequent chapters shorter. So I ended it here. I don't think this is a bad update. There's a little more explanation about Misty and Brock, which I know was lacking before. The rest of the fic is pretty much planned out in my head, so hopefully it won't be as long before an update. Let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

Misty felt a hand brush against her bare shoulder but didn't turn around.

"I thought you weren't coming," she sighed.

"I changed my mind," Ash sat down on the stool on the other side of her, "Everyone is here and I couldn't find anything to do."

Brock snorted but didn't say anything.

"Wanna dance?" he asked focusing all his attention on Misty. She hesitated for a second, then nodded and followed him away from her friends.

The song switched to a ballad and Ash was silently grateful, slow he could handle. Misty placed one hand on his shoulder and placed the other in his hand. He smiled cheekily and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.

The couple twirled their way around the dance floor. Neither one of them saying anything, just enjoying the music.

"What's the plan for tonight?" Ash asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Ash," she sighed shaking her head slightly, "cards on the table, why are you here?"

He laughed, "I already told you, everyone else was here."

"Then why aren't you spending time with anyone else? Why did you come here and go almost immediately to me?

Ash's expression turned serious, "What are you really asking?"

This made Misty freeze and they stopped moving, "I don't know," she bit her lip and looked away.

"Why do I always wake up alone?" she finally asked softly.

"What?" he lowered his voice to match hers.

"Every night we're together and it's amazing and then first thing in the morning you sneak out, why? I don't understand what's so terrible about waking up with me," Misty didn't know why but her voice began to shake with tears.

Ash opened his mouth to speak then shut it again and grabbed her hand, "Come on," he shook his head pulling her roughly behind him.

"Ow, Ash! You're hurting me!" she exclaimed as he dragged her back to the ship and downstairs to his door.

"Why are we here? If you think I'm going to forget about my question, you're mistaken!"

"Shut up for a second, I just need to show you something. I'll show you why I leave," Ash slid his key card and opened his door. Misty realized that she had never been inside his room before. It was smaller than hers and the furniture was different but otherwise it was just another hotel room.

"Well? What are you showing me?" She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey buddy, you can come out, it's safe," Ash called out into the room and Misty was surprised to hear rustling in the closet. Shortly after, a tiny yellow mouse popped up from under the clothes and scampered over to her sniffing curiously.

"Oh!" Misty dropped to her knees and held her hand out to the Pikachu.

"I know we weren't supposed to bring pokemon on the cruise, but Pikachu's my best friend and it didn't seem right to leave him at home. So I leave because otherwise he's stuck in the room all day by himself," Ash leaned against the wall casually.

Misty didn't say anything just continued scratching under Pikachu's ears.

"What did you think it was?" he asked, kneeling down next to her.

"I don't know…" Misty trailed off, keeping her focus on Pikachu.

Neither one broke the silence after that, both for their own reason. Finally, Misty turned to look at him an odd expression in her eyes. One that Ash was sure he had never seen before and knew he wouldn't be able to place.

"I'm sorry, I really had no right to ask you," she sighed, "Sometimes I forget that this isn't a relationship thing."

Ash shrugged nonchalantly and smiled, "It doesn't bother me, really. I trust you to keep the secret." The couple went quiet again, neither one looking at the other until he cleared his throat, "Now that we've fixed the emotional outburst, do you want to go back to the festival?"

Misty shook her head slightly, "No, it'll be over soon anyway. Maybe we should just hang out here."

"Here?" Ash swallowed shifting an uneasy gaze to his yellow companion.

"Yeah, why not? Then you don't have to worry about leaving Pikachu alone," she looked over at him innocently.

Truthfully, she had never seen a person look so uncomfortable. Ash's cheeks had turned a little pink and his focus kept jumping from Misty to Pikachu, who was still in his place underneath her fingers. Realization struck her and Misty couldn't stifle her giggle fast enough.

"What?" he asked.

"You've never brought a girl around Pikachu before have you?" she smiled.

"Yes! Of course I have! Why wouldn't I?" Ash protested, his expression changing from discomfort to annoyance in a matter of seconds.

"It's actually kinda cute, like a single dad separating his romantic life from his child," Misty giggled.

Ash's eyes narrowed and in a split second decision, he lunged at Misty. Pikachu leapt out of the way but, unfortunately, Misty's reflexes weren't as good. She toppled over as Ash's lips came in contact with hers.

"Mmmmph!" Was all she could say as his body moved over hers, his hands working to pull her skirt up.

"Ash!" she cried out before his mouth collided with hers again, but it startled him enough that she could push him away, "What on earth are you doing?"

"I'm just-" but he stopped and sat up, "I dunno."

"Have you ever had a female friend before? One that you didn't solve everything with sex?" she asked adjusting her skirt as she too sat up.

Ash thought for a moment, "I don't think I have. At least no one that I hadn't had sex with…or wanted to have sex with."

"You're disgusting," she shook her head and laughed, "But it's not fair for poor Pikachu to be subjected to this. So tonight, we're just going to be friends."

Misty stood suddenly and walked over to the bed, he watched curiously as she pulled back the covers and slid between them.

"It's safe, Pikachu," Ash called behind him as he followed her, climbing into the other side of the bed.

"So, how do we go about this friendship thing?" he asked petting the mouse that leapt between them.

She didn't answer right away, because to be honest she wasn't sure how to start either. She had male friends but she had never thought about how the friendship started, it just did.

"You know about me, both from what I've told you and the general stuff everyone knows. But I don't know anything about you, who is Ash Ketchum?" she giggled.

Ash took a deep breath and began, "Well…I'm an only child, just my mom and me for as far back as I can remember."

"No father? Or aunts? Grandparents?" Misty asked turning on her side to face him.

"Nope," he shook his head, "there were a lot of stories, both around town and from Mom about what happened with my father and Mom's family, but once I got old enough to understand the truth, I just never asked. We grew up close to Prof Oak's ranch so I always had May and Gary Oak to play with."

There had to be proper protocol for this. Ash had gotten pretty good at morning after sex. He was even good at sneaking out. But what did you do when you woke up next to a girl fully clothed? A handshake? His head turned to the side and he watched her for a few seconds.

Misty's lips were parted just barely as she slept. Ash was pretty sure that this was the first time he had seen her without makeup on. He wouldn't call her naturally beautiful, her appeal was more unusual than standard. Her lips didn't have a lot of color to them, her eyelashes were short and held the same reddish tint as her hair and eyebrows.

He felt pressure on his legs as Pikachu stretched and climbed on his chest.

"Hey buddy," Ash's voice came out raspy as he scratched between the mouse's ears, "how do you feel about our first overnight guest?"

"Cha," Pikachu cooed shutting his eyes and leaning into Ash's hand.

"She's pretty nice, not like any other girl I've met."

He sighed and thought for a second, "Things are easy with Misty. I don't have to pretend, and there aren't a lot of expectations." Ash glanced down and noticed Pikachu sleeping soundly. Smiling, he scooped the yellow mouse up and set him on the bed before sitting up and running his fingers through his hair. He shot one last look back at Misty before getting out of bed and walking slowly to the shower.

As the water turned on, Misty opened her eyes in shock. This was going too far. She sat up quickly, running a hand through her hair before shoving it into a haphazard bun.

"This isn't good," she whispered resting her head in her hands. Pikachu had woken up and was nervously tapping her side.

"Pika?" he cooed softly.

Misty turned her head and smiled, reaching her hand down to reassure the mouse.

"What do I do?" she asked, almost expecting Pikachu to respond. But when she heard the shower stop, she had already made up her mind.

Ash walked out of the bathroom and, for the first time, knew what it felt like to be suddenly alone.


	6. Chapter 6

Brock sat alone at one of the many deck tables eating fruit salad slowly. Alone was a state he had grown accustomed to since Ash and Misty were spending all of their time together. He wasn't unpopular, he had friends in other gyms, but it wasn't the same as being with your best friends.

The red head in question plopped down in the chair next to him and buried her head in her hands. Brock turned his head curiously but didn't say anything. Misty groaned as a greeting and held her head tighter.

"Wanna talk?" Brock asked leaning back into the chair.

"It can't stay casual," she mumbled not lifting her head.

"What can't?" Brock knew what she was talking about, but the urge to be right needed her to say it.

Misty looked up slowly, "Shut up, you _know_ what I'm talking about. Everything is going too far, but…" she trailed off and sighed.

"But what?"

She inhaled deeply, creating a more dramatic mood than necessary, "I thought the problem would be me. I'm the one without any fling experience."

"Wait," Brock sat forward, his interest piqued, "you mean, Ash?"

Misty studied his expression for a moment, she wasn't entirely sure, but Brock didn't look as shocked as he sounded.

"What did he say?"

"It wasn't what he said," she began, "it was how he said it. The tone of his voice."

"Well," he sighed, "what was his tone?"

"Almost dreamy. He said he's never met a girl like me, and that things were easy with me," her head went back down to her hand.

"What do I do? The smart thing would be to end it here, right?"

"I don't know if I can tell you what to do," Brock started but was cut off by Misty shoving her chair away from the table and standing.

He turned and saw Ash walking towards them.

"Misty," but she was already walking away, "Come on! Avoidance isn't the answer!"

Ash watched her for a second then sat heavily in the chair Misty had occupied.

He sighed and turned to face Brock, "She heard me this morning, didn't she?"

When you've had the same best friend for the last twelve years, there are things that stop being surprising to you. Ash could say that he had memorized everything about Brock, he knew the basics, favorite food and the like. And he knew the more personal things, first kiss, hope and dreams. Yet there were times when he couldn't read the older man at all. The times when Brock's expression was like the stone his family's gym was known for and Ash would have no idea what he was thinking.

"So what you're telling me," Brock started as he inhaled deeply, "is that you didn't mean the things you said?"

"I meant it, I just didn't mean it in the way she took it," Ash corrected.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. Ash knew how his early morning confession to Pikachu sounded, he wasn't surprised at her reaction at all.

"You don't have any feelings for Misty at all?"

"I didn't say that," a waiter walked up to them interrupting Ash.

"Can I refill your lemonade?" he asked, gesturing at Brock's glass. The older man nodded absentmindedly wanting Ash to continue.

"Can I get one too? And something to eat? I'll have what he's having," Ash pointed at Brock's half empty dish.

"Finish your thought," Brock ordered as soon as the waiter left.

"Huh?"

"Finish. Your. Thought."

Ash's forehead wrinkled as he thought, "Oh! I didn't say that I don't have feelings for her. I mean, I've been spending almost every second since we got on this boat with her. It would be unrealistic to think that I wouldn't have developed something, it's just not serious."

Brock stabbed the remaining fruit in front of him with his fork but didn't say anything. The younger man watched him for a second trying to figure out what was bothering Brock. Ash wasn't very bright, but the wheels finally clicked together and his expression lit up.

"You wanted me to fall in love with her, didn't you?" he asked quietly.

Brock looked up, shocked at the tone of his voice, "I wouldn't say that I wanted you to. I just thought that you had and…it would have been nice, I guess."

"Why?"

"We're kinda the same, you and I, we both date a lot and aren't into anything serious. But the difference is," Brock paused, "I'm doing all of this knowing that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. My intention is to find the right girl and settle down and recently I've been noticing that you don't have the same thoughts. So yeah, considering what Misty's been through, it would have been nice to think there could have been something serious between you two."

Ash thought about what Brock said then inhaled slightly, "My way of life wouldn't be fair to a girlfriend. I'm never in the same place for more than a few days. Any girl that I would consider, deserves better than I can offer." he pushed his chair away from the table and started to stand.

"Ash, wait" Brock stood as well, giving his friend an odd look, "that wasn't a no."

The corner of Ash's lips turned up slightly, "No…it wasn't a no."

Misty decided that, at least for today, avoidance was the answer. After her successful getaway this morning, she had spent a lot of time in her room but now felt safe enough to lounge by the pool with a magazine.

With all of her planning, she still wasn't surprised to feel extra weight on the edge or her chaise.

"What?" she asked, her eyes not leaving the page she was on.

"I wanted to talk to you, is it a good time?" Ash replied, his tone was like a whisper but the volume was normal.

Misty sighed heavily and slammed the magazine onto her legs, "Does it matter? You're just going to talk anyway."

He smiled that childish grin and Misty momentarily looked away to avoid it.

"I'm sorry about this morning," his expression turned serious, "Really. I've had a lot of fun with you but if you want to stop…that's okay too."

She inhaled deeply and hesitated. Stopping was the only option she could think of but Misty wasn't sure that was what she actually wanted to do.

"I think it might be best if we took a break. There's only a couple weeks left on the cruise and I haven't spent time with anyone but you. I should hang out with my other friends, and I know Brock has been feeling neglected."

Ash nodded and his smiled faded for just a second before it returned again, "Yeah, that's probably a good idea." he stood and handed her magazine back to her.

Misty frowned as he walked away but once Ash had vanished from sight, she went back to the magazine. Staring blankly at the pages, she began to wonder about her conflicting feelings. Maybe Daisy was right about her, maybe Misty just wasn't cut out for casual dating. What she had a hard time admitting to herself was that it wasn't just what Ash said that scared her, it was the thought that she was getting in too deep and was going to be hurt in the 18 days before they arrived back in Vermillion City.

* * *

A/N: Holy wow that took a really long time! Sorry about the complete lack of update on this. It was part the holidays, part being busy at work and part disinterest. But I've made it a point to finish this story, I'm thinking it'll only be another chapter or two considering that the end of the cruise is near.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing or just reading. I promise the wait won't be as long for the next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

***3 Months Later***

Misty brushed an loose strand of hair out of her face then frowned as she noticed the pale blue paint on her fingers. She groaned and looked up toward the bright sun above her.

"Why?" She sighed, "Why is it that I get one lousy month of vacation and as soon as I get back my older sisters, the actual owners of the gym, flit off to God knows where and leave me to all the maintenance?"

Stepping down the rungs of the ladder and leaping off the second to last, she decided it was time to take a break. Misty wiped her hands on her already stained jeans and turned toward the door thinking about the mint chip ice cream waiting in the freezer.

"Misty."

The red-head froze, she knew that voice. A thousand emotions ran through her as she tried to find one to express when she turned around. Misty chose to be blank as she faced him.

"Hello, Seth." she sighed.

Even though it had only been a few months, it felt like she hadn't seen him in years. His hair was shorter, and lighter, the way it always was in the summer and he held a bit of a tan, leaving her to wonder how he had spent his time.

"You look good," he took an awkward step toward her, "really good. You went on the cruise this year?"

"Yeah," she nodded breaking eye contact for a second.

"I've been trying to figure out how to come talk to you, I've been doing a lot of thinking..." Seth broke off, clearly trying to organize his thoughts. And suddenly Misty knew exactly what he was going to say. The words she ached to hear ever since he told her he had been cheating on her.

"I haven't been the same since we broke up, I thought I knew what I wanted but once I had it...I think I made a mistake and I want to fix it." His gray eyes met hers expectantly, waiting for an answer.

She didn't know if she had one, if this had been 2 months before she would have screamed 'yes' and lept into his arms, but now that didn't feel as obvious. They stood there, staring at each other for a long time each one not sure what to say.

Misty's attention was stolen for a second as a red sports car pulled up on the street in front of the gym. She had never seen a car like that in Cerulean City, unless of course it was just passing through. And the gym was closed for maintenance, everyone knew that. The driver side door opened and the corners of Misty's mouth turned up into a smile.

"Hey Mist!" Ash exclaimed walking toward them swiftly. His eyes darted from Misty to Seth, then brightened in sudden clarity. He took a quick sweep of their surroundings and adopted a tone of nonchalance, "I told you not to start painting without me."

Before Misty had a moment to look confused, Ash's lips connected with hers in a soft yet obviously possessive gesture. She was grateful that she was facing away from Seth so he wouldn't see her eyes pop open in shock before returning the kiss.

He pulled away slowly and winked at her, then turned to Seth and smiled smoothly.

"I'm sorry, I'm Ash Ketchum, and you are?" he held his hand out to shake.

Misty watched nervously as both men stared at each other, sizing one another up and trying to decide where to go from here.

Seth hesitantly put his hand in Ash's with a quiet, "Seth Olesen."

Ash nodded in understanding, "Oh! The ex!" They stood there for a moment, forming a triangle as Seth tried to come up with his next move.

"So she told you about me?" Misty saw a smirk appear on his lips. She turned her attention back to Ash, waiting for retaliation, when a thought struck her. What was he even doing here?

The two had been inseparable the first week and a half into the cruise and then barely spoke to one another after Misty broke it off. The last thing they had said to each other was a passing goodbye as she disembarked in Vermillion City. No phone calls, no letters, no contact. And now he appears out of the blue in what can only be described as perfect timing.

"Of course she told me, don't you share your history with the girls you're sleeping with?" his face remained impassive but Ash knew he had gained the upper-hand with that question. Misty felt her cheeks go red and she looked down to avoid the accusing stare from her ex-boyfriend.

"I didn't realize that you had..." he trailed off, visibly upset, "I mean we've only been broken up for a couple months."

Her head snapped back up to glare at him, "Are you seriously trying to make me feel guilty for moving on too fast?" she asked incredulously, "Remind me, how long were we broken up before you started sleeping with half the town?"

Misty didn't give him the opportunity to answer before laughing, "That's right, a year before you had the balls to fucking break up with me!" She paused a moment to take in a deep calming breath, "No, Seth. My answer is no. You may have made a mistake, it might end up being the biggest mistake of your life. But I'm not going to make one in taking you back. I loved you once, but now I feel nothing but pity and disgust." She shook her head and turned to walk back into the gym feeling emotionally drained but also a strange sense of relief.

Misty reached the door that separated the gym area from their home and heard footsteps behind her. She turned on the intruder with an expression similar to the one she had given Seth, "Ash, what are you even doing here?" she asked with a sigh.

He smiled, more genuine than the one he had flashed at Seth, "I thought you would be happy to see me."

She opened the door and gestured for him to follow. Ash had never been in this part of the massive aquarium building. He walked down the surprisingly long hallway at a slow pace, glancing at every childhood photo on the wall and smiling. Misty led him to the small living room and waved him toward the couches.

"Would you like something to drink? We have iced tea, soda, lemonade..." she trailed off wandering into the kitchen.

"Tea? With a splash of lemonade, please." Ash responded as his eyes darted around the room, landing on a framed photo on the bookshelf. He could hear Misty gathering glasses in the kitchen as he walked across the room and picked the frame up for a closer look.

"I didn't know if you like sugar in your tea so I brought some out with me," Misty announced walking back into the room with a tray in her arms, "What's that?"

He smiled, "I was thinking about what you told me about your sisters that first day on the cruise, I guess they didn't get rid of all the pictures." Ash held it over his shoulder for her to see.

"It's one of the few pictures we're all in," she whispered gazing into the photographed eyes of her parents. Misty cleared her throat and went back to the couch, "I guess you've confirmed that I'm a natural red-head." she joked.

Ash set the picture back down and joined her on the opposite couch, "I confirmed that our first night on the cruise."

Misty's cheeks flamed up again and she busied herself with her glass of tea, "You were going to tell me why you're here, not make dirty jokes."

Ash laughed, "Do I have to have a reason to stop by? Can't I just visit a friend?"

"We aren't friends, so that won't work."

"We could be friends, I genuinely like you," he looked down for a second, as if trying to collect his thoughts.

Misty allowed her voice to soften a little, "We could be. But not if you don't tell me why you showed up out of the blue today. Although your timing was perfect."

He grinned, "It was pretty good, wasn't it?" Misty nodded and then gave him a look urging him to continue.

Ash cleared his throat and took a long sip of his iced tea before turning to face her, "We weren't together very long on the cruise. It felt like forever, but it was only a little over a week. I thought it was because you were new and different that I was always so excited to see you." he hesitated, realizing that he wasn't making any sense.

"When I got home, my mom was asking me about the cruise. I had been really excited about it before I left, and even though less than half of it was spent with you...you were all I could talk about."

Ash caught her eye for a second, trying to read her expression, "You're kinda, all I want to talk about. You're all I think about and all I dream about. And I've never experienced that in my life."

Misty looked down, hiding her smile, she had been right all those weeks ago when she broke things off. She could see the signs of a man falling too hard, too fast. She had seen the same longing before with her sisters' many "friends". But she had never expected this.

He waited only a minute but it felt like hours, Ash wasn't great at articulating his feelings but he had forced them out and now it was her turn to respond.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're proposing," Misty sighed, "One of the first things you told me when we met was that you didn't get involved in serious relationships because you travel too much."

"That's true," Ash immediately deflated, he hadn't thought about that. He wouldn't say that he had had a charmed childhood, he wasn't spoiled. But one of the first lessons he learned was that if he wanted something bad enough, things would just work out. Ash had done his part, he had come here, confessed his feelings, and now it was time for it to work out.

Misty nodded slightly, "So...you're saying that you have feelings for me, but you don't want a girlfriend?"

"I dunno, maybe we can try a...like a long distance thing? I'll still be around for another month or so and if things are still going well, we can take it from there."

"And we could...call each other every night, or something?" Misty expression was strange, "You would be out traveling and I'd just be here and we'd keep in touch when we could, in any way we could."

Ash nodded but a little half halfheartedly, even he wasn't buying that this would work out.

"Or," she took a deep breath, "or, I could go with you."

They went silent for a second, neither one of them wanting to be the first to speak.

"You could go with me," Ash said softly. Almost instantaneously, he was on the same couch with only a few inches separating them. He leaned forward to kiss her but Misty pulled her head back slightly.

"Is that your car?" she asked suddenly.

Ash gave her a strange look, "Does it make a difference?"

She shook her head, and smiled, "Just curious."

He laughed, "Nope, I borrowed it from a friend." Ash placed a hand behind her head and kissed her, "Are your sisters home?" he asked kissing her again.

"Nope," she returned his kiss with a deeper one of her own.

"Do you expect them anytime soon?"

"Nope, they left right after I got back and didn't say how long they'd be gone."

"Perfect," he murmured moving her closer to him.

The couple stayed locked in their embrace for awhile, losing a few articles of clothing in the process. When Misty and her sisters had reached adolescence, the problem became where the appropriate places were that boyfriends could be allowed. As the youngest, and the last to ever encounter this issue, Misty had adopted a very strict "bedroom only" policy that her sisters were a little looser on. But with Ash right here it seemed like a lot of work to interrupt their activity just to go upstairs.

Ash hesitated for a second, questioning how much further she wanted to go without actually verbalizing. Misty nodded her consent and kissed every inch of skin she could reach.

"Gary Oak! Get your hands off my little sister!"

The door to the living room crashed open causing Ash and Misty to jump up. Misty hid behind him, her eyes darting around the room looking for something to cover herself with.

Lily stood in the doorway, her eyes wild as the elder two Williams sisters peered in from behind her.

"Not Gary, just his car," Ash laughed seemingly unaware of the awkward situation he found himself in.

The pink haired sister turned red as she surveyed the room, "Oh, I just saw it...and thought..."

Daisy stepped in front of her, smoothly scooped up Ash's shirt from the floor and tossed it to Misty who scrambled to put it on.

"Sorry to barge in, we pulled up to the gym and when Lily saw the car she freaked. She wouldn't tell us why though," she smiled as if the whole thing were completely normal.

Although fully clothed, Misty stayed in her spot behind Ash as she responded, "How did you know it was Gary Oak's car?"

Lily's face flushed a little deeper, "We may have dated briefly."

"That doesn't surprise me," Ash and Misty groaned in unison.

Daisy tossed the rest of their clothes at them, "Now that we've established who he's not, would you mind telling me who he is?"

"I'm Ash Ketchum. Born and raised in Pallet Town, recent Division One Champion and currently dating your baby sister," he smiled holding out his hand for Daisy to shake.

"Oh dear God," Misty moaned burying her head in his shoulder.

The three older sisters looked him up and down in a way Ash wasn't used to. Usually he just won people over his is charm.

"A Champion? Does that mean you're a trainer?" Violet spoke up for the first time since their arrival.

"Yeah, I'm trying to become a master," he nodded.

"So, you're traveling around. Especially if you're trying to become a Champion in Division Two," Lily asked.

Ash nodded slowly, very aware of the sisters closing in on him.

"So you just stopped in and decided to feel up our sister before taking off again?" Lily narrowed her eyes as her twin gave him an equally dirty look.

"No, not that," he frowned.

"Leave him alone," Misty groaned.

"I didn't just stop in, we met on the cruise and then I came after her. We were just talking and she's-" Ash paused his thought briefly. He realized that this was probably something Misty wanted to discuss with her sisters. As the youngest of four children that had never been apart, the departure of one was probably not something that should be blurted out by a half naked stranger.

He glanced over at Misty who's cheeks still held a bit of pink but she smiled and asked, "Are you guys hungry? I was just telling Ash about the burgers at Sadie's. He said he's never been there before, I'm sure he wouldn't mind picking up dinner for all of us."

The elder sisters were distracted while they placed their orders and gave the out of towner directions to their favorite diner.

"What's going on?" Daisy asked once he was gone and the sisters were alone.

"I know I told you that I was going to have a fling on the cruise and learn to be someone different, but you were right, I don't know how," Misty sat down and gestured for the Sensational Sisters to do the same.

"I fell really hard and I was lucky enough to find out that he did too. I know we're a lot closer now than we were a decade ago when I ran away a lot. This time, I'm leaving because I think it'll be good for me, not because I feel like I need to get away."

"You're leaving?" Violet asked, then nodded in understanding, "You're leaving with him."

"I thought it would be a long time before I met someone that makes me feel like this, and the fact that I've always wanted to see more of the world than what's around me. I can't help but think this is fate, I know you guys will understand." Misty bit her lip slightly still worried they might say no or find some way to make her feel guilty.

Daisy looked around the room covered in photographs of the four sisters in various stages of life, "I think we can manage pretty well on our own...provided that you bring us back really cool gifts."

Misty laughed, "I will."

"And call once a week, at least."

"I will," she said again, in a more serious tone.

"Is this guy really that great?" Daisy tried to keep her tone light, but all of them understood the underlying question. They had all loved Seth, he became like a brother to the older three, a handyman around the house, and he kept Misty out of trouble.

Misty smiled softly and closed her eyes, "He's kind of amazing. He brings out a completely different side of me, one that I like. I think you guys will love him.

"We'd better, or you'll be on the first plane back home," Lily snapped causing everyone to laugh.

A week later the red-headed sister was holding back tears as she hugged Daisy and said goodbye to her childhood home.

"Don't forget to call, or the presents," Daisy smirked trying to make Misty smile.

"I won't," she whispered.

"And you," the eldest directed her attention to the man leaning against the car on the street, "take care of my baby sister."

Ash smiled and bowed jokingly, "She'll be my first priority."

"Good," Daisy nodded then gave Misty a genuinely happy smile, "I hope this is everything you want, but remember, if it's not...there's no shame in coming home."

"I know, but it will be," Misty sighed and adjusted the straps of her new backpack. The only one they could find big enough to hold everything she wanted to take with her.

"I have to go, I'll call when we land and then as often as I'm able, and I'll write every night that I can't call." She smiled and with one last hug, ran over to the car where Ash was waiting for her.

"Ready?" he asked. Misty nodded in reply and opened the passenger side door. They drove off quickly because Ash wanted to make it to Pallet Town by nightfall so he could spend one more day with his mom before he flew out to the next phase of his journey.

The ride was mostly in silence but as they reached the scenic woods and fields outside of Veridian City she smiled.

"Whenever I ran away from home I would always make it this far before stopping," Misty pointed out the window where they could barely make out a small river cutting through the grass.

"I think I know where you're talking about, I passed it when I left home for the first time," Ash nodded, " I remember thinking that it might be a good place to go fishing when I was at home."

"I wasn't, I never caught a thing," They fell back into silence for a moment before she began to laugh loudly.

"Can you imagine if we had met back then? If by some random happenstance we ran into each other?" she giggled at the absurdity of her thought.

"I don't think you would have liked me, I was constantly getting myself into trouble. I had a childish sense that someone would always be there to catch me if I fell," Ash mused.

"I was a brat. Childhood was rough for me, and my sisters. They were a lot older than me and I wasn't easy to deal with." she nodded.

"So I guess it's a good thing we didn't meet as children, we would have wound up hating each other."

Misty sighed softly, "I dunno, do you believe in fate?" Ash looked over at her with a strange of expression that made her laugh, "I don't mean like that. I mean that there are some people that you're supposed to meet. If we hadn't both met Brock we probably would have hardly spoken to each other on the cruise. I think that if you're supposed to know someone it'll happen."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Think about it, what if we were supposed to meet? There's a few missed opportunities. We both know the same river, you challenged my gym at some point. But decisions were changed and for some reason we didn't meet so we were thrown on the cruise. You said so yourself, you almost didn't make it home in time to R.S.V.P and if it had started a week before I would have still been with Seth. I think we were supposed to meet. Maybe if we had met as children we wouldn't like each other as much as we do now, but we would have been friends."

"It's an interesting thought," Ash shrugged before putting the car in park, "We're here."

Misty ducked her head down to look at the small farmhouse in front of them, "This is your house?" she asked.

"Yep, home sweet home," he smiled glad to be home again.

"I thought we were bringing Gary back his car," she looked at him confusedly.

"He can come get it, Professor Oak's place isn't far from here," Ash got out of the car and opened the trunk, pulling out her bag, "Come on, Mom's been dying to meet you."

Misty smiled and took his hand, following him to the front door.

* * *

A/N: That's it. Finished. Sorry it took me so long to get this last chapter up, I hope it didn't disappoint. There was a mishap with my computer and I lost everything and had to start over. They are now all stored in Google Docs. If you read any of my other stories, they will be updated, I promise. I just don't have a lot of free time and restarting chapters from memory is time consuming.


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